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Reader Mail
Jul 6, 2013

Luxury train a new beginning

The June 23 editorial "All aboard the luxury train" conjured up the allure of travel by train in Japan. It is true that Japan's train system is the envy of the world and has been symbolized by the Shinkansen with its safety, punctuality and speed. But I believe that the bullet train system lacks a certain...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 4, 2013

'Dark Skies'

The always charming Keri Russell ("Waitress") pairs up with mild-mannered Josh Hamilton ("The Bourne Identity") as a couple thrown head first into a swamp made up of various story components from the "The X-Files" — and left floundering in the muck.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Jul 4, 2013

Former Tokyo players train with ex-coach Hill in Texas

Former members of the Tokyo Apache have strengthened their friendship in recent days in Texas.
JAPAN
Jul 4, 2013

Abe aside, war apology stands: Suga

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Thursday reaffirmed that the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe upholds the position set out by the 1995 apology issued by then-Prime Minister Tomiichii Murayama, which admits that Japan waged wars of aggression.
CULTURE / Music / MONEY AND MUSIC
Jul 3, 2013

Japan's festival industry is stuck in a fine kettle of fish

Are summer festivals killing Japan's live-music market?
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / MAKING THEIR CASE
Jul 3, 2013

Your Party stands against tax hike, nuclear plants

Your Party will stress its call to freeze the upcoming consumption tax hike and promise to abolish all nuclear power plants by 2030 when the campaign for the Upper House officially starts Thursday, party leader Yoshimi Watanabe said.
Japan Times
WORLD / FOCUS
Jul 2, 2013

Boehner 'soft' approach boon, bane

When someone crosses John Boehner, he or she can expect a couple of reactions from the House speaker. Sometimes it is a thwack on the back and a disapproving shake of his head, quickly followed by a begrudging smile to indicate that all is forgiven. Sometimes it is a fake yell and then a shrug. One recalcitrant...
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 1, 2013

Hezbollah leader nears sundown

Recent victories by Hezbollah militiamen in Syria will not save the regime of Bashar Assad. They could presage the political sunset for Hezbollah's leader.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 1, 2013

Ten-step program could help India develop an economy as big as U.S. economy by 2050

Even with unspectacular growth of a little more than 6 percent a year, India's economy could become about as big as America's economy by 2050.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / MAKING THEIR CASE
Jun 29, 2013

New Komeito chief vows to counter Abe if he tries to change Article 9

New Komeito President Natsuo Yamaguchi said Friday his party will continue to act as a counterweight to the Liberal Democratic Party if the senior coalition partner aggressively pursues revising the war-renouncing Article 9 or exercising the right of collective self-defense after the Upper House election....
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 27, 2013

Abe closes out uneventful legislative session unscathed

This year's 150-day Diet session closed Wednesday in turmoil as opposition parties started blocking deliberation procedures and submitted a censure motion against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in an apparent effort to show off their presence ahead of the Upper House election next month.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 24, 2013

Africa's 100 million girls with mutilated genitals

Elimination of female genital mutilation in Africa will be impossible unless laws are supported by efforts to change entrenched social attitudes.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 24, 2013

Rowhani victory buys time for Iran

Hassan Rowhani's presidential election win has exposed a rift among Iran's democratic forces, yet has bought Tehran time on the nuclear issue.
Reader Mail
Jun 23, 2013

Right to express religious views

When I noticed Drusilla de Lanor's June 13 letter, "No offense taken to 'that guy' " (which was a reaction to Brian Redmond's June 9 letter, "An offensive religious reference"), I thought of how enlightened De Lanor must be.
Reader Mail
Jun 23, 2013

Mild wisecrack in comparison

On behalf of Christians everywhere, I apologize to Drusilla de Lanor for making her think she has to "walk on eggshells" around us. I share her view that Brian Redmond overreacted to Amy Chavez's "that guy on the cross" quip, although not for the same reason. While De Lanor thinks Redmond's letter was...
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Jun 18, 2013

Research suggests fathers can nurture too

Unlike the male pundits, politicians and even financiers who have recently opined freely about what they consider "natural" roles for mothers and fathers, with mom at home and dad at work, behavioral neuroscientist Kelly Lambert's methodical approach has led her to a much more complicated conclusion....
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Jun 18, 2013

Democracy, interrupted: How local voices were silenced in Tokyo's first referendum

On Sunday, May 26, something quite remarkable happened in Kodaira city, western Tokyo: Over 50,000 citizens voted in Tokyo's very first local referendum (jūmin tōhyō) on the issue of whether a 50-year-old plan to construct a road should be reviewed or not.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LABOR PAINS
Jun 18, 2013

Why workers can no longer wear their demands on their sleeves

Dear reader, where are you from? To what era do you belong? I was born in 1971 in Japan and grew up here, too, but I've never — in all my years visiting hotels, restaurants, shops or government offices — seen workers wearing vests, armbands, badges, ribbons or bandanas with political messages. I've...
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jun 16, 2013

Occasionally Japan's glass ceiling is smashed

Someday people will look back in astonishment at the way society treated women.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 16, 2013

Alternatives to North Korea's denuclearization

Sooner or later North Korea must be brought back into negotiations. Some now call denuclearization a pipe dream, preferring to focus on arms control.
Reader Mail
Jun 16, 2013

Stop crying wolf about China

Regarding Michael Richardson's June 6 article, "China's troubling core interests": Richardson is again beating the "China threat" drum as if repeating this theme over and over will somehow convince others of its verity.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jun 14, 2013

Lego faces have gotten angrier, study finds

Washington
Reader Mail
Jun 13, 2013

Some dare call it 'economics'

When reading the paper or listening to the news in English, some of us may be inclined to think that "Abenomics" has something to do with economics or even sound economics. But when you listen to members of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party talk about it in Japanese, they call it "Abe no mikkusu," de-stressing...
Reader Mail
Jun 13, 2013

Don't suppress children's voices

I would like to give my opinion on the June 4 AFP-JIJI article "Hey kids, keep it down — graying Japan annoyed by children's noise": I am a Japanese-language consultant who has visited Japan five times and been in regular touch with Japanese for 18 years. I keep getting information about concerns that...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 9, 2013

Fukushima kids' thyroids screened

Forty-four children living in areas of Fukushima Prefecture subject to high levels of radiation were screened for thyroid cancer Saturday in Tokyo, highlighting widespread health fears following the 2011 nuclear meltdowns crisis.

Longform

Totopa in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward was picked by consultants TTNE as the best sauna of the year.
Japan’s sauna movement: Relax, refresh, repeat